Tacloban City – On 23 June 2025, the Spliethoff Group, led by Mr. Marcel Balk, Deputy Director of the Crew Department, visited the National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) to recognize the institution as a key maritime training partner. A Certificate of Appreciation was awarded to NMP for its delivery of the new MLC Training Course and other STCW-aligned programs for the company’s crew.

A total of 140 Spliethoff crew members, most of whom are from Region VIII, availed of NMP’s training services this year. This reflects the company’s confidence in NMP’s accessible, affordable, and high-quality training offerings.

Spliethoff commended NMP for shortening the MLC Deck course from over 55 days to just 28 days, allowing their crew to complete the required training in Tacloban instead of traveling to Cebu or Manila—ensuring both convenience and compliance with international standards.

NMP emphasized that the course revision aligns with MARINA’s thrust to streamline maritime training by eliminating redundancies and emphasizing essential leadership and operational competencies needed for career advancement. NMP also recently earned accreditation as a maritime assessment center, authorizing it to certify seafarers’ competencies based on national and international standards. It is currently in the process of applying for specific levels of competency to fully implement this new role.

Capt. Ruben Agmata, Chief Operating Officer of Spliethoff Group Manila, Inc., expressed their intention to return to NMP for further collaboration, particularly the development of a customized training program and an assessment of NMP’s training facilities and simulators.

NMP welcomed the opportunity. ““Partnerships with respected global companies like the Spliethoff Group reinforce our mission to elevate maritime training. By designing programs that directly address industry demands, we help ensure that Filipino seafarers remain globally competitive and the preferred choice in the international shipping industry,” said NMP Executive Director Victor A. Del Rosario.

Spliethoff also shared that their fleet is manned by a mix of Filipino, Russian, and Dutch nationals, and reaffirmed their strong trust in the skills, professionalism, and reliability of Filipino seafarers.

The visit underscored NMP’s role as a leading government maritime training and reserach center and opened doors for future international partnerships to help strengthen the maritime industry.

For more updates on NMP programs and services, visit https://nmp.gov.ph, register online at https://register.nmp.gov.ph, access the e-Research Portal at https://research.nmp.gov.ph, and follow NMP on Facebook at https://facebook.com/nmptrainingcenter.